’Camelot’, a new 10 part drama series, is set to commence shooting in Ireland this summer. The drama is based on the 15th century epic King Arthur biographical novel by Thomas Malory.

’The Tudors’ Michael Hirst is the creator of the new drama which is penned by Chris Chibnall (Life on Mars) and based on Thomas Malory’s 15th century work ‘Le Morte d’Arthur’ (Arthur’s Death). The shoot for the drama will commence on June 28th and most of the shoot will take place in Ardmore Studios in Co. Wicklow.

The producers on board the project are Douglas Rae (Becoming Jane) and Michael Park from Ecosse Films and Morgan O’Sullivan (P.S. I Love You) from Irish based World 2000 Entertainment.

The drama will be shot for broadcast on US cable station, Network Starz. The executive producers involved are Oscar winner Graham King (The Departed); Craig Cegielski, president of GK-TV; Octagon’s James Flynn (P.S. I Love You); John Weber (The Tudors) and Anne Thomopoulos (executive producer, Rome). Casting is currently underway for the drama and is being carried out by Frank and Nuala Moiselle who previously oversaw the casting for ‘The Tudors’.

In a previous interview with IFTN Michael Hirst spoke of his plans for the drama “We are working on Camelot which we hope to do in more or less the same way at Ardmore,” he said. “And if we get our own way have the same crew and set up. It will be a larger production simply because of the scale piece and I have written the first few episodes, and we have started to cast… It has been a project I have wanted to do as far as I can remember. In fact when I was a boy in rural Yorkshire walking to school something I always wanted to see was a knight in armour coming round a bend so I might get to see that finally.”

Minister Martin Cullen TD has welcomed production of the series, saying: “Landing a series of this scale is indicative of the quality of Irish film talent both in front of and behind the camera. The adjustments made to the Section 481 tax relief for those wishing to invest in film and television in Ireland have also been a catalyst for securing this international production for Ireland. Congratulations are due to Morgan O’Sullivan and James Flynn who, between them, have a remarkable track record of making award-winning TV series in this country.”

The Minister added “Camelot will follow on from where the hugely popular 'The Tudors' series finished off. I am sure it will be as successful as 'The Tudors' and will continue to build on the excellent international reputation of Irish film talent. The benefits of film and television production in Ireland include increased international investment in our economy; increased employment in this sector and positive spin-off effects for promoting Ireland as a tourist destination and as an industrial location for all aspects of creative endeavours.”